The Rescue

How we began and where we are going.

East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue was formerly the Gettysburg Game Park, located at 320 Zoo Road, Fairfield, PA 17320, 9 miles southwest of Gettysburg, PA. off of Route 116. It started as an 85 acre private zoo and breeding facility, opening to the public in 1965. Suzanne Murray went to work for the previous owner in 1993 as a animal care taker, as she loves to work with animals. The Game Park closed in 1989 and did not re-open until 1995, with Suzanne & her sister Judy as Managers.

While working at the Game Park, Suzanne started rescuing some animals. She kept them at the Game Park under the agreement that she would pay for their food and veterinary expenses. She rescued some lab animals that were no longer needed, the Marmosets and Rhesus Monkey. She also rescued Roscoe, the Siberian Tiger, the Bears and some birds. When the owner decided to retire, she realizied that she needed some place for the animals that she rescued, so Suzanne and Gary decided that they were going to have to come up with a way to purchase the property if they wanted to keep the rescued animals.

In 1998, with help from Suzanne's father, Victor Tomich, with the down payment for the mortgage, they became the proud owners of the Game Park. Little did they know the problems that awaited them. Suzanne had to call upon her father a few times to help bail them out of some tight spots. The USDA came along and inspected the facility. Some of the fencing dated back to the original opening of the Game Park and needed to be replaced. All of the hoof-stock had to be TB tested, which prevented the thinning of the herds, which is necessary to maintain a happy and healthy balance in the herds. With no money coming in over the winter months from the sale of overstock, money got tight with so many animals to feed. Suzanne had improved the quality of the feed which had raised the cost. If not for the help from her father and the local people who donated food and money, the Game Park would not have survived. Even so, Suzanne and Gary had to cut corners in their personal lives to make sure that the animals were taken care of.

Realizing that something had to be done or their dream would become just that again, they applied for a Non-Profit license, which was granted in July of 2000, and became the East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue. No longer a private zoo, the Rescue is now a sanctuary for the unwanted exotic animals that previously had to be turned away due to lack of funds to support them properly. The Rescue is dedicated to providing a safe haven for these animals so that they may have a comfortable place to live out the rest of their natural lives. The Rescue is also dedicated to trying to educate the public of the special needs of exotic animals. Too many people purchase these wonderful animals and have no idea as to what is going to be required or what to expect from the animals themselves. Too late they realize that they are not prepared or cannot afford their "pets" any longer.

Since becoming non-profit there have been some changes. New fences are going up and USDA guidelines are starting to be met. Plans are in the works for new enclosures for the large cats as well as bringing the bears and prairie dogs up the the main grounds. Last year the Murrays managed to build a new enclosure for the gibbons so that they could finally touch grass, and they hope to do the same for the tigers. First in the works, though, is a new lemur exhibit so that Belle, the rhesus monkey, can have their old enclosure and have grass instead of concrete to walk on. A new enclosure for Lenny the lynx and the new lioness cubs definitely need a larger enclosure since they are still growing.

Also new for the Rescue is this web site. It was created in the hope that it will help the Rescue continue to be able to offer a home for the unwanted exotics by helping to get the word out to the public of the need for a place such as this. Please help us in our quest, since the animals cannot help themselves. The alternatives are not pleasant and these creatures did not ask nor deserve to be placed in a position where they have to fight for survival.

Come visit our friends and see for yourselves what magnificent creatures make their homes at the Rescue. Bring the whole family, as there is sure to be something of interest for everyone, and sometimes an opportunity to feed and touch some of the friendlier animals.